Study Tips that got me through Pre-Med, MCAT, and PhD in Immunology

Summary

In this video, sponsored by Skillshare, the speaker shares their academic journey from a Premed undergrad to a PhD student in immunology, emphasizing effective study techniques. They discuss the use of Anki for memorization, studying in the exam environment, to-do lists for time management, and leveraging Skillshare for productivity and skill development. The speaker also shares personal tips on maintaining focus, such as watching lectures at double speed and using background videos for stimulation without distraction, along with the Pomodoro Technique for productive breaks.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker has a strong academic background with a pre-med degree, MCAT experience, and is currently a direct entry PhD student in immunology and medical research.
• 📚 They have developed effective study habits over six years, focusing on memorization, smart studying, and time management to balance academic and personal life.
• 🔖 Anki flashcards are highlighted as an essential tool for memorization, which the speaker uses regularly for exams and research.
• 🏛 The speaker uses environmental conditioning by studying in the same setting as the exam to mentally prepare for the test environment.
• 📝 Writing notes by hand is recommended for exams that require paper-based responses to practice writing and recall.
• 📝 To-do lists are a daily habit for managing tasks and deadlines, with a distinction between weekly and daily lists for big picture and immediate tasks.
• 📅 The Microsoft To-Do app is praised for managing weekly tasks, while daily tasks are written on paper for a satisfying sense of achievement.
• 🌐 Skillshare is mentioned as a resource for learning new skills and improving productivity, with classes taught by industry professionals.
• 🎨 The speaker is interested in creativity and design software, using Skillshare to learn tools like Adobe Illustrator for a more diverse skill set.
• 📺 Watching lectures at double speed is a technique to save time and improve note-taking by focusing on key points.
• 🤝 Engaging with classmates and professors, such as attending office hours, is important for building professional relationships.
• 🎥 Having background noise like Netflix or YouTube while studying can help maintain focus for extended periods without boredom.
• 🕒 The Pomodoro Technique is adapted for shorter study intervals and productive breaks, with the Flow app recommended for customization.

Q & A

What educational background does the speaker have?

The speaker has a Premed undergraduate degree specializing in human biology and molecular biology research, and is currently a direct entry PhD student in immunology and medical research at a top research institute in Canada.

What are the key study tips the speaker uses to memorize information effectively?

The speaker uses Anki cards for memorization, studies in the environment similar to the exam setting, and practices writing full sentences on paper to improve memorization and recall.

How does the speaker manage their time and stay organized?

The speaker uses to-do lists, including a weekly to-do list for big picture items and a daily to-do list for tasks that can be completed within a few hours, and finds the Microsoft To-Do app helpful for this purpose.

What is the significance of studying in the same environment as the exam?

Studying in the same environment as the exam helps set the mind to 'exam mode' and familiarizes the student with the conditions they will face during the actual exam, reducing discomfort and increasing focus.

How does the speaker use the Pomodoro Technique to enhance productivity?

The speaker customizes the Pomodoro Technique by studying for 30 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break, using the Flow app to manage these sessions, and ensuring breaks are productive by avoiding the use of a phone.

What is the role of Skillshare in the speaker's learning process?

Skillshare is an online platform that the speaker uses to access classes taught by industry professionals, helping to elevate career skills, develop new skills, and increase productivity.

How does the speaker engage with recorded lectures to enhance their study efficiency?

The speaker watches recorded lectures at twice the normal speed, which helps to cut down study time and forces them to take more effective notes by focusing on key points.

What is the speaker's approach to maintaining engagement while studying for long periods?

The speaker plays TV shows or videos in the background as a form of white noise to stay engaged without distraction, allowing them to study for longer periods without losing focus.

How does the speaker utilize their downtime to learn new skills?

During downtime, the speaker uses Skillshare to learn new skills such as creativity and design software like Adobe Illustrator, aiming to demonstrate a diverse skill set on their resume.

What is the speaker's strategy for building relationships with professors?

The speaker makes an effort to interact with classmates during tutorial or lab sessions and attends professors' office hours or emails them with questions to build a professional rapport for potential future opportunities.

How does the speaker ensure that their daily to-do list is effective and motivating?

The speaker ensures that the daily to-do list contains attainable goals that can be completed within a day, which is satisfying to check off and helps maintain motivation.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Academic Success and Study Techniques

The speaker shares their academic journey, from completing a Premed undergrad in human and molecular biology to pursuing a direct entry PhD in immunology and medical research at a top Canadian institute. They emphasize the importance of studying effectively and smartly, especially with the use of Anki flashcards for memorization. The speaker also discusses the psychological strategy of studying in the actual exam environment to acclimate to the testing conditions. Additionally, they advocate for writing notes by hand to practice writing and memorization, and stress the importance of daily and weekly to-do lists for time management and productivity.

05:01

🌟 Enhancing Productivity with Skillshare and Study Routines

The speaker discusses their use of Skillshare, an online learning platform, to access a wide range of classes and improve productivity. They highlight the benefits of learning from industry professionals in various fields, such as design and freelancing. The speaker also shares personal strategies for maintaining focus and engagement, such as watching lectures at double speed to enhance note-taking efficiency and studying with background noise like Netflix or YouTube. They mention the importance of interacting with classmates and professors to build professional relationships and the use of the Pomodoro Technique for studying in blocks with productive breaks, recommending the Flow app for customization.

10:03

📚 Embracing Productive Breaks and Continuous Learning

The speaker concludes with a focus on the importance of taking productive breaks to maintain high levels of productivity. They suggest avoiding phone usage during breaks and engaging in activities that keep the brain active but away from work-related tasks. The speaker also encourages continuous learning and skill development, using their own interest in creativity and design software as an example. They invite viewers to take advantage of a one-month free trial of Skillshare to explore new skills and hobbies, and to apply these skills in daily life.

Keywords

💡Premed

Premed refers to a pre-medical track in undergraduate studies, where students focus on courses and activities that prepare them for medical school. In the video, the speaker mentions having gone through four years of Premed undergrad, which is foundational to their journey in human biology and molecular biology research.

💡MCAT

The MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, is a standardized exam used for admission to most medical schools in the United States and Canada. The speaker discusses writing the MCAT as part of their preparation for medical school, highlighting its significance in the academic journey.

💡PhD

A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest academic degree awarded by universities in most fields of study. The speaker is a direct entry PhD student, emphasizing their advanced standing in the field of immunology and medical research.

💡Immunology

Immunology is the study of the immune system, which is crucial for understanding health and disease. The speaker's focus on immunology research at a top institute in Canada is central to their academic and professional pursuits.

💡Study Effectiveness

Study effectiveness refers to the strategies and methods that maximize learning and retention of information. The video's theme revolves around the speaker's insights on studying effectively, including the use of Anki cards and environmental conditioning for exams.

💡Anki

Anki is a flashcard program using spaced repetition, which is a technique to enhance memory retention. The speaker mentions using Anki religiously throughout their degree and for their PhD qualifying exam, underscoring its importance in memorization.

💡To-Do Lists

To-do lists are tools for organizing tasks and managing time effectively. The speaker discusses maintaining both weekly and daily to-do lists, which are instrumental in their productivity and time management.

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes for Creative Learning taught by industry professionals. The speaker endorses Skillshare for its role in enhancing productivity and learning new skills, such as Adobe Illustrator and design software.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of an individual's work or the rate at which goals are achieved. The video emphasizes the speaker's quest for increased productivity through various study techniques and tools like Skillshare.

💡Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. The speaker adapts this technique to suit their personal study habits, studying for shorter periods and taking more frequent breaks.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the context of studying refers to the level of interest and involvement in the learning process. The speaker discusses strategies to stay engaged at their desk, such as watching lectures at double speed and using background videos as a form of white noise.

Highlights

The video is sponsored by Skillshare and features a direct entry PhD student's study tips.

The speaker has a background in human biology and molecular biology research.

They have been studying effectively for six years, balancing academics with extracurricular activities and family time.

Anki cards are recommended as a powerful tool for memorization.

Studying in the same environment as the exam can help set the mind to exam mode.

Using pen and paper to practice writing can improve memorization and recall.

Maintaining a to-do list is essential for consistent time management.

Daily to-do lists should contain achievable tasks to maintain motivation.

Skillshare is a platform for creative learning with classes taught by industry professionals.

Skillshare can help elevate one's career and develop new skills.

Watching lectures at double speed can save time and improve note-taking efficiency.

Engaging with classmates and professors can compensate for the lack of interaction in remote learning.

Background noise like Netflix or YouTube can help maintain focus during long study sessions.

The Pomodoro Technique is used for studying in blocks with productive breaks.

Taking breaks away from the phone can increase productivity.

Skillshare offers a one-month free trial for the first 500 users through the provided link.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning new skills like Adobe Illustrator for a diverse skill set.

Transcripts

this video is sponsored by skillshare I

went through four years of Premed

undergrad specializing in human biology

and molecular biology research I wrote

my MCAT and now I am a direct entry PhD

student doing immunology and medical

research at one of the top research

institutes in Canada I have been

studying for almost every single day for

the past six years and I've had a lot to

learn about how to study more

effectively how to study smarter and how

to manage my time so that I can make

time outside of school to do other

things like extracurricular activities

and spending time with friends and

family so here are some of the study

tips that I used every single day to get

me into the research field and help me

balance everything else in my life in

terms of memorizing a lot of things in a

short period of time I feel like I have

nailed the routine down because of my

preed degree and as well as me going

through the MCAT one of the best tools

for memorization are definitely ay cards

it's essentially digitized Q cards but

the beauty and ay cards is that you can

actually prompt the card to return and

ask you the same question again if you

don't know the card the first or the

second time that it shows you I used

ankey cards religiously throughout my

entire degree and I recently used it

again for my PhD qualifying exam and it

is just so good I love this tool so much

other more psychological methods that I

use to study and do better on exams is

definitely to study in the environment

that I know I'm going to take the exam

in for example when I was writing my

MCAT which is an 8h hour long biology

chemistry physics exam I actually did

the full length practice exams not at

home on my MacBook but instead at the

school library using one of the public

computers and the whole rationale behind

it is that I know that at the testing

center for this MCAT exam I'm going to

have to use a computer that I'm not

familiar with in an environment that I

don't feel super comfortable in it's

very different from taking an exam from

home studying in that environment really

helps to set my mind to study an exam

mode it's the same thing if I were to

write an exam that I know is going to be

on paper instead of heavily relying on

just reading notes off of my computer to

study them I will also try to have a pen

and paper on hand and write down my

notes so that I can practice writing on

paper in full sentences some of the key

ideas and the things that I need to

memorize practice my spelling and my

grammar and there's a lot of things that

you don't realize you don't know until

you have to regurgitate it back onto

paper one of the tools I use every

single day as a student to keep

consistent and manage my time is to make

to-do lists I personally keep two

separate planning lists one of them is

my weekly to-do list which has all of my

assignments all of the deadlines

everything that I want to do within the

next week or two the Microsoft to-do app

for this checklist is amazing for that

because I always have that app on my

computer on my desktop open it's really

meant for Big Picture items I will write

something down like need to send

manuscript draft in by August 20th so I

know that in the next 2 weeks I have

this de line going on but what I think

is more important is to create everyday

to-do lists and write down all of the

tasks that I can do within an hour or 2

hours maximum I make a new list every

single morning and they contain more

concrete items that I can get done

within the day so if I wrote down in my

big weekly to-do list to finish a

manuscript in a week some of the smaller

items that I'll put on my daily to-do

list would be to draft up introduction

finish methods and results writing

things that are achievable and realistic

for this list is really important

because if you don't finish your tasks

on a list that is way too long it will

end up demotivating you making you more

dissatisfied having this list with

really attainable goals is really nice

because it's super satisfying to check

off one item at a time and then at the

end of the day when I read this list

again and I see that I've done

everything I feel really good and I'm

motivated again to go and do work again

the very next morning I started adopting

this technique when I was in the year of

my University and honestly it has saved

me from procrastination and missing

deadlines and the great thing about this

is that you can use this tool in many

different formats personally I like to

keep my weekly to-do list on my computer

and then just write my daily to-do list

on aign paper or a scrap piece of paper

if you are motivated by cute planners I

loved the Muji weekly planners because

it has enough space for you to write

down both your weekly and your daily

goals now it has taken me a really long

time to learn how to study smarter and

more effectively as a third-year PhD

student now I feel like my schedule just

continues to get more and more busy and

I'm always looking for ways to increase

my productivity and get my work done

faster skillshare has been a great tool

for me to access classes made by other

experts to teach me how to be even more

productive every single day and staying

consistent throughout school skillshare

is the leading online platform for

Creative Learning offering thousands of

classes taught by industry Professionals

in areas like film illustration design

freelancing productivity and more it's a

great resource to help you elevate your

career develop new skills explore

Hobbies or even to grow your side

projects I've been watching Ali abdall

the productivity king for a number of

years now and it's been so fun seeing

him on skillshare sharing his passion

for productivity and helping other

students learn how to be more effective

inside and out of school skillshare is a

super diverse and dynamic platform they

have a huge repertoire of classes with

that being said I am a huge learner all

the downtime that I have during the

summer I am always trying to learn new

skills and one thing that I've been so

interested in recently are creativity

and design softwares like Adobe

Illustrator and in design and I'm trying

to learn this so that I can go back to

school in the new school year and

demonstrate a more diverse and holistic

skill set on my resume and CV I find

skillshare so useful and that's why the

first 500 people that use my link into

the description will get a one- month

free trial of skillshare for you to use

it is a completely free month of

skillshare so that you can also use it

and enjoy it from home and then apply

your new skills into your daily life now

I just talked a little bit about how I'm

a person that can't really sit still on

my desk I'd love to fidget a lot so one

of the things that I've been really

focusing on in terms of studying more

effectively is how to be engaged and

stay engaged at my desk for hours and

hours on end a really useful skill that

I have is the ability to watch my

lectures on two times speed some of my

lectures from my undergrad and my PhD

now are recorded and posted online for

other students to watch at their own

time and whenever there is that resource

available I am always watching my

lectures from home on two time speed it

is definitely a skill set that you have

to get used to and to learn so that you

can understand words at two times speed

but it is also such a useful skill not

only am I cutting down my electure

watching time and studying time in half

but watching it on two time speed also

forces me to take more effective notes

I'm making sure that I'm only taking

down Keynotes so that I don't miss the

next sentence that my professor says and

when it comes time to study my notes for

the final exam I'm also studying more

effectively because I don't have to C

through all of these words that I'm just

simply recording down now attending

classes remotely and learning online

there is a tradeoff because you're

missing that interaction with your

classmates and your professor but some

of the ways that I've combed that is

just making use of the time that I get

to work with my classmates so during

tutorial sessions or lab sessions where

I get to interact with other classmates

I definitely try to do that as much as

possible and I also make an effort to go

to my professor's office hours or email

whenever I have a question so that I can

build a professional relationship and

rapport with my professors in case down

the line I need to ask for a reference

letter or ask for more opportunities I

feel like this next point will be a

little bit controversial but it

definitely works for me and that is to

actually put Netflix or YouTube on in

the background while I'm studying more

often than not I find myself having to

sit at my desk for full-time hours

basically for 600 to 9 hours every day

to do computational analysis to study

for exams to write a manuscript and I

simply just get so bored sitting at my

desk for that long one thing that I do

is definitely to put up a TV show or a

movie or a really lengthy video it's

essentially like listening to music

while you're studying except I don't

listen to music and I just put on

Netflix in the background instead and I

usually put on a TV show that I have

watched before and that's really lengthy

Modern Family is a great one or I love

the YouTube channel bread story which is

essentially this YouTuber that goes

around to Japanese bakeries and just

films them making bread with ASMR the

point of having a video in the

background is not that I can just be

distracted and watch it the entire time

it kind of just serves as white noise so

that I am somewhat engaged in a video

that is a little bit interesting and not

just staring at a blank white document

and typing for 6 to9 hours straight and

it is true your productivity can go down

just a little bit if you use this

technique but I I think the trade-off is

so so worth it because I get to study at

my desk for way way longer and I don't

feel like I'm losing attention and focus

for my work another way that I really

try to keep track of my time and not

under or over study is to study in

blocks and taking productive breaks I'm

sure we are no stranger to the Pomodoro

Technique which is essentially studying

in a set block amount of time and then

taking breaks after that time and you

would repeat this for a few times to

study throughout the day most people

like to study for 50 minutes and then

you would maybe take a 10 or 15 minute

break personally for me I can't sit

still for that long 50 minutes just

seems like such a long time to study and

I've always been the one to need to get

up to be distracted to fidget so usually

when I do pomodoros I usually study for

about 30 minutes and then take a 5

minute break I love the Flow app because

it really does allow you to customize

your permodo sessions how long you want

to study for and how long you want to

take your breaks for and you can even

change this day today depending on what

you have to do or how you are feeling I

think the more important thing that I

have taken into practice is to take more

productive breaks and what I really mean

by that is that I have tried to stay off

my phone as much as possible when I am

taking breaks and literally just doing

anything else other than going on my

phone what I found before when I would

take these Pomodoro breaks is that I

would immediately turn on my phone go on

to Instagram and I would just scroll and

scroll and scroll and next thing you

know I've been scrolling for 45 minutes

what I have done recently ly though is

to actually put my phone away during

these pomodora sessions I'll go and make

myself a coffee I'll read my book for 5

minutes recently I've been loving

knitting and crocheting so I might do

that as well literally anything that

keeps my brain engaged and active but

away from my work without having to turn

on my phone has been so so effective for

me and when that break is done I'm not

tempted to go and keep scrolling on my

phone I just stop my break and then I go

back to studying and it just keeps me

super productive and motivated the

entire time okay so those are all of the

study tips that I have that I have been

using every single day during the last

six years in Academia and I hope you

learned something as well don't forget

to like And subscribe and please comment

down below if you have learned something

new today or if you're already doing

some of these tips and tricks as always

thank you so much for watching and I

will see you guys next time bye